Electrical Issues and more - 1989 320

[Dweed144]

Hi All.
Quick question.
My Windows are temperamental but due to what seems to be faulty wiring with the cigarette lighter.
Most of the time my windows work, but it seems that when I put an accessory in the cigarette lighter to charge my phone, it all stops. If I push the button between the drivers window button and the cigarette lighter, (so that it rises up and the red is visible) the cigarette lighter gets power, but I can hear what I assume is the relay clicking away rapidly. (The charger plug for my phone has it's red light on whether the button is pushed or not so it must have some power all the time...)
Once I try to charge my phone, and stop the windows working, i have to press that 'reset'?? button and then the windows work again.
I have checked the fuses, and I swapped the relay for the horn relay and the same thing happened. Although with the horn relay I only heard one click rather than rapid fire clicks, but either way it didn't work.
I checked for the Green Black wire to the started motor but it doesn't look to be present.
My Blower is working fine.
I am assuming I have some bodged wiring.
Any help on where to trace this back to would be much appreciated.

On a separate note, I am also trying to find out why my fuel consumption is so low (sometimes as bad as 13mpg for trafficy commutes). I have checked the blue temp sensor and replaced my rubber intake boot, and relocated the contacts on the worn carbon tracks on the afm. I am yet to get my injectors refurbished. It seems to run quite well, but i don't seem to have much low end power, and often stall the car when reversing into a parking space. I am not a complete idiot, or at least don't think I am, which is why I have attributed the stalling to the running problems. But if it's running rich I would have thought I would see evidence of it on the sparks....
Do other peoples OBC fuel consumption displays rapidly tick down when idling in stationary traffic? I don't know if that is a fault with the computer or whether it is actually telling me that I am somehow losing huge amounts of petrol when idling......

Any help on any of these problems would be much appreciated!!

[Brianmoooore]

The plugs that connect onto the back of the 'reset' button are badly under specified, and have been known to fall off under their own weight. I suspect that one is off, but lightly touching the switch.
When you press down on the lighter socket you move the wire away, and when you push down on the reset button you push it back in contact again.

Sure you don't have a petrol leak when the car is running?

[daimlerman]

320i is the orphan of the E30 range,318i grunt with 325i running costs.

Having said that,you get the 6 cylinder sound track and an 'under square' engine that develops it's power above 3000rpm,hence the low(ish) overall gearing.

OBC will show mpg dropping whilst stationary,afterall,you are burning petrol and not moving...
In stop/start traffic,low 20's is good,on a motorway at a steady 65mph(3000rpm)you should see 30ish mpg.

[Dweed144]

I've investigated loose wires. Tightened up one on the reset button. Thanks for the tip!
It seems that the windows work with the doors open or closed, but the cigarette lighter will not put out full power, and when the door is open, no power at all.
Volt reading off cigarette lighter as follows:
Door Open: .15 volts
Door Closed: 12.36 volts
Door Closed with key in accessory position: 12.2 volts
So that would suggest it's working. Although my phone charger says it requires 12.4 volts which is maybe why its not working. But I really don't want to be the guy having a thread about getting his phone charger working, which I am.

MECHANICAL:
I pulled all my spark plugs, and have attached an image.
Looks like they could all be running a little lean??


Some of the fuel hoses look a little worse for wear but I can't spot any leaks. The hose feeding the injector rail has some surface cracks running down it and is obviously on its way out, but not leaking as far as I know.

Unless the car is compensating or measuring the fuel pressure, a leak would explain the lean running right?

Thanks

[Dweed144]

Also I did just find a leak on the fuel hose and injector rail union. It only leaked when I moved it around but I imagine that was leaking a bit during driving. I think new fuel hoses all round!